In this information age, virtually everyone is “connected” with one another via telephone, cellular phone, facsimile, pager, etc. In particular, because of recent major advancements in Internet technology, many people also utilize a personal computer (PC), notebook computer, handheld computer, etc., with a modem to communicate electronic mail (E-mail) with one another over the Internet. In addition, with common web browser software of the type of the NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR or MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER browser installed in one such computer, a user is able to browse, on the computer, web pages from the world wide web (WWW), which is a graphical subnetwork of the Internet.
Many web pages, especially those providing free services such as search engines and other portal services, contain paid advertisements. Some web pages contain displayed options for providing directory assistance. One such option may be a “Yellow Page” option whereby a user may specify the desired product or service, and the area in which the user wants to obtain same. In return, the user is presented with information concerning each location of the provider of the desired product or service in the specified area.
To keep automobile users “wired” even while on the road, a PC specifically designed for them, namely, the “AutoPC,” has been introduced. The AutoPC, which may be installed in the standard car stereo slot, comprises well known communications and navigation technologies. For example, the automobile users can utilize the AutoPC to communicate E-mail and pager messages. The users can also rely on the AutoPC to navigate with the aid of the U.S. government's constellation of global positioning system (GPS) satellites. In response to signals from such satellites, in a conventional manner, the AutoPC pinpoints the vehicle's location (in latitude and longitude). It also detects the vehicle's speed and direction. With geographic information stored therein, the AutoPC is capable of verbally and visually communicating to the user instructions for reaching the destination.
The marriage of communications and GPS technologies benefitting automobiles has been observed. The resulting service is known as the “OnStar service.” This service requires that an OnStar system including a GPS receiver, and a cellular phone be installed in an automobile subscribing to the service. When an automobile user calls an OnStar service representative via the cellular phone, the system automatically communicates the vehicle's location tracked by the GPS receiver. The service representative may then provide the user with directions, restaurant recommendations, and/or roadside assistance depending on the vehicle's location.
In addition, to obtain diagnostic information from, and upgrade certain software in, an automobile, a system whereby an automobile communicates, with a remote station, data concerning the automobile is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,553 issued Aug. 15, 1995 to Parrillo. In the disclosed system, the remote station communicates the data via a cellular phone network to the automobile having a cellular phone connection, using the cellular phone number to locate the automobile.